Blackberry Plant Diseases

Identification

• Plants infected with a fungus will generally not bear fruit. If fruitful, the infected bush will have smaller, deformed berries but an abundance of foliage, according to Integrated Pest Management.

Harvest

• Picking blackberries frequently will reduce disease. Keeping rotting fruit to a minimum will help keep fungus from taking over, according to GardenAction.

Genetics

• Failure to produce fruit is because of a genetic or chromosomal combination that will eliminate self-pollination, according to Integrated Pest Management.

Warning

• Diseased plants must be removed to prevent infection of healthy plants. Cuttings from diseased plants should also be destroyed, according to Integrated Pest Management.

Prevention/Solution

• The best prevention is to purchase disease-resistant rootstock. Do not use root suckers from areas where plants have been known to have disease. This will avoid spreading disease to the new plants, according to Integrated Pest Management.